Ben Carr aka “CARRTOONS” is a multi-instrumentalist / producer that brings the electric bass to the forefront . His newest album “Upstate” dedicated to the Hudson Valley, fuses his own unique blend of jazz, hip-hop, and house with his collaborative efforts as a producer. Ben finished his degree in jazz performance at SUNY Purchase Conservatory in 2013 and has since worked with Mad Satta, MXXWLL, Braxton Cook, Dani Murcia, Raveena and many more. His live trio features keyboardist Itamar Gov- Ari (Vinegar Mother, Jak Lizard) and drummer Jharis Yokely (My Brightest Diamond, DJ Premier)
Canadian-born, New York City-based cellist and composer Julia Kent creates music using layered and processed cello, electronics, and found sounds. She has released four solo records, the most recent being Temporal on UK label Leaf, and has toured throughout North America and Europe. In addition to her albums, she also composes music for film, theatre, dance, and television.
Lady Moon & The Eclipse is a multicultural ensemble based in New York. Through soaring vocal textures and R&B/afrobeat-influenced rhythms, they create inspirational music that explore the cosmic soul; a journey to become one’s best self. Lady Moon carries the essence of the Moon, delivering a message of love, peace, and light, while the musicians serve as the Sun shining light upon her. The audience represents the Earth, also known as the Star People of Earth, completing the metaphorical eclipse. With a marked emphasis on inclusivity and spiritual unity, Lady Moon & The Eclipse explore positive music through the live experience to grow and make a difference in themselves and in the world.
Lady Moon & The Eclipse released their debut EP, “Believe” available now on CD and online, and are currently producing their full length album “Journey to the Cosmic Soul”
The Giraffes are a cult band from Brooklyn that has been leveling crowds with their signature mixture of rock, punk, metal and surf since 1996. A well-earned a reputation for mayhem has followed the band from the start. Their guitarist was shot in the leg outside of a White Castle late one night in Brooklyn after being accosted by an off-duty fire marshal with an itchy trigger finger. The bullet is still lodged in his knee. Their singer has suffered multiple Sudden Cardiac Death events. He has a defibrillator implanted in his chest which has erroneously shocked him on stage. During a show at Chicago’s legendary Double Door, it sent 700 volts directly into his heart 3 times in 30 seconds. He finished the set.
They have toured with Local-H, Eagles of Death Metal, The Vacation and Skeleton Key, and have shared the stage with Interpol, Fishbone, the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, and The Strokes. They have played Amsterjam, Voodoofest, Monolith, SXSW, Bonnaroo, and more. Giraffes music can be chosen in the video game Guitar Hero and heard in the 2017 Sundance Festival winner movie, “I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore”.
The band is set to release its 7th full length studio album, FLOWER OF THE COSMOS this spring of 2019. It started as a collection of love songs but quickly went dark. You’ll see.
Zamy Maa’s intimate rhythms and enchanting voice invite us all to dive deep into what makes us vulnerable, and ultimately, what makes us human. With intentional lyrics and an alluring sound, this Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter, and producer pushes the conversation in the direction of transformation. Her African heritage and passion for holistic wellness heavily influence her musical offerings – soothing harmonies, and insightful reflections that revive the spirit and restore the mind.
from AllMusic: Artist Biography by Matt Collar (clipped for 250 word max)
With his poetic, atmospherically hazy sound, New York singer/songwriter Cheval Sombre (aka Christopher Porpora) emerged in the mid-2000s as a torchbearer for ’60s psychedelia and hypnotic space rock. Working closely with Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom as well as Luna’s Dean Wareham, Sombre gained a cult following with his eponymous 2009 debut and 2012 follow-up, Mad Love. In 2018, he solidified his dream rock credentials pairing with Wareham for the eclectic covers album Dean Wareham vs. Cheval Sombre.
After high school, he spent several years playing in an experimental rock band in upstate New York. When the band ultimately broke up, Sombre (a nickname given to him by a friend) began recording on his own, working through such influences as Terry Riley, Alastair Galbraith, and Zbigniew Preisner. It was also around this time that he found some success as a published poet before deciding to focus on his music endeavors.
Cheval Sombre
In 2009 he issued his eponymous debut, Cheval Sombre, recorded with Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom (aka Peter Kember) and featuring Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips. He returned in 2012 with Mad Love, which once again featured Sonic Boom and Wareham, as well as members of MGMT. In 2018 he collaborated with Wareham on the covers album Dean Wareham vs. Cheval Sombre, which featured songs by Blaze Foley, Stephin Merritt, Townes Van Zandt, and others.
Maiko Hata is NY based jazz singer and a songwriter. She was born in Osaka, Japan and moved to NY when she was 19. She started classical piano at age 7 and began theater, ballet, and musical performance throughout the early school years. During high school, she developed an interest in classical singing, began performing as a lead singer in the school choir and performed at local music festivals. After graduating high school she attended the Arrow Jazz school in Japan and began studying with Mari Shinonome.
In 2001, Maiko Moved to New York to study both Jazz vocal with Teri Roiger, Jay Clayton, and Kevin Mahogany. Maiko soon started to perform at local venues and clubs in upstate, NY, Japan, and New York City.
Over the years, she has performed as an opening act for legendary musicians, such as The Cookers, Aaron parks, Craig Handy, and David Weiss’s Point of Departure. She has also shared bandstands with Nick Hetko, Doug Weiss, Eric Person, Pete Levin, Jay Anderson, Peggy Stern, Francesca Tanksley, Lawrence Clark, Miki Hayama, Darrell Green, Tony Jefferson, Alex Smith, Ray Blue, and Malcolm Cecil.
Currently, Maiko is a member of Billy Harper’s voice group in NYC. She has released her first Jazz album “Peaceful Erosion” in 2018 with Nick Hetko, Josh Evans, John Menegon, and Jeff Siegel with engineer Scott Petito.
The Nightblinders are 5 piece folk rock band from the Boston/NH area. Originally an acoustic act, their debut “Building A Home” had a distinct bluegrass tone. By the following year the band adopted a more electric sound for their second album “The Guiding Light.” Over the last 3 years they’ve played hundreds of shows throughout New England and beyond. Sharing stages with such acts as, Austin Lucas, Tim Barry, Beans on Toast, and Two Cow Garage, earning a reputation as a stirring live band. The Nightblinders were also voted best band by the Hippo Press in their 2017-18 editions.
Hello, we’re The Four Fives, Brooklyn’s best-if-not-only active barbershop quartet. We’re four old college friends that have been singing together since 1997: Jeremy Gough on tenor, Adam Arian on lead, Nick Moy on baritone, and Jed Schmidt on bass.
